Los Angels Angels Center Fielder Mike Trout’s Devastating Blow To His Hand and Other Adventures

The Los Angeles Angels have had a bit of a mixed season thus far. On Sunday, they beat the Seattle Mariners 8-7 in 11 innings. They did pretty well against the Mariners. However, it’s worth noting that there were some points at the beginning of the season when the Angels were hurting.

For example, back in March, there were losses to the Astros, as well as losses to the Cubs. The good news is that it is still pretty early on in the season, and you never know.

Good Game, Bad Injury

Nolan Schanuel was on fire on Sunday night! In the 11th inning, he hit a sacrifice fly, which pretty much won the game for the Angels. He’s been fantastic for the team this season. His bat speed, barrel control, and power are all promising.

However, Sunday night wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Mike Trout, who already has had some past drama with injuries, got hit on his left hand by a pitch from Casey Legumina and had to leave in the 8th inning. There was some swelling and pain, which isn’t surprising.

Luckily, his hand is not broken. He’s not on the injured list, but he does have a contusion, and the team will keep an eye on it. One thing that makes this especially concerning is that he was hit on the same hand in 2023. During that year, he continued to push himself, preventing his injury from healing and causing him to be placed on the IL.

One concern for this season is that history will repeat itself, and Trout will push himself to the breaking point, prolonging the recovery process and once again ending up on that dreaded injury list. But let’s hope for the best. Maybe he’ll improve, maybe not. But he really shouldn’t try to rush the process.

The Many Adventures Of Shaun Anderson

Reliever Shaun Anderson did a superb job. He pretty much earned the win when he threw 2.0 innings. He has a reputation as a solid pitcher with a ton of experience, having played on eight different MLB teams.

However, the fact that he has played for so many different teams in so short a time is a bit concerning. I mean, it’s like getting in a relationship with someone who seems really great, then finding out that they have an extensive list of exes that were all fairly recent. You don’t want to judge them for it because you don’t know what happened, and it’s in the past, but it’s still something to take into consideration.

It seems like Anderson’s “relationships” with some of these other teams have ended because, despite his great performance, he struggles with really establishing himself, and he’s had what you might call a career rollercoaster. Regardless, let’s enjoy this high for the Angels while it lasts. He seems to be persistent and committed to his career with the Angels.

The Angels’ Great Potential

The Angels have had some fantastic moments this season, there’s no doubt about that. Shortstop Zach Neto has been doing really well. On Sunday night, he hit a leadoff home run, which was great. Despite his injury scare back in March, he’s done exceptionally, all things considered.

Logan O’Hoppe had a great performance on Sunday as well. And on Saturday night, Jo Adell was absolutely incredible. Adell robbed three potential home runs in the Angels’ 1-0 win against the Mariners. People will be talking about that one for a while.

What To Expect As the Season Marches On

The Angels have had some really great games, but there’s also no doubt as to some of the struggles they’ve had. This season, they’ve dealt with many injuries, several health scares, and some inconsistencies. There are some great players on the roster, but as far as getting hurt, some of these seem to be dropping like flies.

If some of these injured players, like Trout and Neto, can give themselves a chance to recover and not worsen their health, and guys like Adell can keep up the good work, there’s no reason things can’t continue taking a turn for the better with the Angels.